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Thread: Homemade Woodmizer Coolant?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Mont. Co. MD
    Posts
    973

    Homemade Woodmizer Coolant?

    A good friend of mine picked up a lightly used Woodmizer sawmill this past fall. We were talking the other day, and he was trying to saw a walnut log. Had a real time getting through it we both figure he needs to attach the coolant tank. Woodmizer sells their own coolant, but there's got to be a home brewed solution (pun intended) vs. buying it from Woodmizer.

    Any thoughts? If I can come up with a cheap alternative, I might be able to get some of his cast-offs

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    371
    Seems that guys use just about anything as lube on bandmills

    Start out with plain water, see how that works.
    If it's cold mix in some car antifreeze. Dishwashing liquid can be added if it's not below freezing. Some guys go with pinesol cleaner and others swear by diesel oil, although thats a bit suspect from the ecological standpoint and it's smelly and toxic.

    Try plain water first, then play with the flow rate and additives to get best result on the type of wood you are sawing.

    Cheers

    Ian

  3. #3
    I use plain water on my Mizer unless it's real sappy wood and then I throw a little (couple cap fulls) Simple Green in it.

    www.scottbnabury.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Hurricane WV
    Posts
    198
    I use a 50/50 mix of diesel fuel and chainsaw bar oil. Use sparingly as it don't take much. I keep it in a squirt bottle and give it a small shot after every couple of cuts. A quart will usally last me all day of sawing. Usally that's between 1,000 and 2,000 board feet. Lots of people use water but I don't beleive that water is a lubricant.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Sterling CT
    Posts
    2,473
    I use water or pam sprayed on the blade once in a while. The water seems to help clear out all the find dust out of the gullets.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Alabama
    Posts
    223
    Looks like just plain water in the woodmizer at a local sawmill.

  7. #7
    The water or oil mixture isn't used as a lubricant. It is actually used just as a means to remove pitch and sap buildup on the blade.
    I used straight water on all woods except pine. I added windshield wiper fluid to the water when temps were below freezing.
    On pine I used either kerosene or diesel fuel.
    You don't have to have it turned on all the time. Just an occasional small stream of water usually works when you notice a buildup on your blades.


  8. #8
    I don't have a WoodMizer (or any other sawmill) so I am speaking from total ignorance, but.... wouldn't using any oil or desiel or any petrolelum product transfer to the wood and isn't that a no-no? I don't think I would like to buy any oil streaked or oil stained wood.

    George

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    371
    I don't have a WoodMizer (or any other sawmill) so I am speaking from total ignorance, but.... wouldn't using any oil or desiel or any petrolelum product transfer to the wood and isn't that a no-no? I don't think I would like to buy any oil streaked or oil stained wood.
    The amont used is very small, not enough to mark / soak into the wood. Chances are it would be dried up once the wood is dried and removed once it's planed anyway. If you could see oil on the boards you would be using about 100 times too much

    The water also serves as a coolant for the band, this increases it's life and reduces the amount of pitch thats getting melted out of the wood and ending up on the band.

    Ian

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    N. Central Tn. Allardt. Near Jamestown
    Posts
    37
    sometimes coolant/lubricant just won't help. I bandsawmill kiln dry and sharpen blades (since 92) I've tried cutting dry and wet. Sometimes wet just makes a mess with no performance improvement.
    I stoped useing water years ago.
    Watch out using oils, Oil can get into the wood, fire hazard, degrades rubber parts on the mill

    If the log was old or dryed out some it can be harder to cut.

    If anyone needs blades sharpened, I sharpen 13'2" 1.25" for $5.50ea + postage.

  11. #11

    Sure miss my LT-30 Woodmizer

    I sawed a lot of lumber on it before I sold it a few years ago.
    Wish I still had it.
    Attached Images Attached Images


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Midland, Michigan
    Posts
    453
    Quote Originally Posted by jim mckee
    If anyone needs blades sharpened, I sharpen 13'2" 1.25" for $5.50ea + postage.
    A guy might have a better chance of anticipating what postage would cost if you were to mention a country or some such information about location in your BIO.
    Work safe, have fun, enjoy the sport.
    Remember that a guy never has to come down out of the clouds if he keeps filling the valleys with peaks. Steve

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    N. Central Tn. Allardt. Near Jamestown
    Posts
    37
    I'm in N. Central Tn.

    Allardt, near Jamestown
    Zip 38556
    Just look for this place
    Attached Images Attached Images

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